Exhaust port covers

ABSTRACT

Plates provided with brackets and hooks can be detachable secured to the rear of the body of a Volkswagon automobile to cover the exhaust ports exposed when exhaust headers have been installed.

United States Patent [1 1 Takayama. ]v Nov. 6, 1973 [54] EXHAUST PORT COVERS 2,689,749 9/1954 Wise 280/153 R [75] Inventor: James Takayama, Los Angeles,

7 MCah v Primary Examiner-Kenneth H. Betts [73] Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization Inc., Assistant Pekar New York, Att0rney-Richard S. Shreve, Jr.

[22] Filed: Feb. 9, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 224,837 57 ABSTRACT [52] CL 296/1 R 1314/6 D 180/64 A Plates provided with brackets and hooks can be detach- 51 Im. Cl B 60k 13/00 'ah'e Secured the Year 0f the W 0f vlhswagh [58] Field of Search 180/64 A- 296/] R" the exhaust Ports chimed when 280/153 1314/6 exhaust headers have been installed.

[56] References (Iited 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS w,

9/1952 Van Antwerp 280/153 R EXHAUST PORT COVERS FIELD OF THE INVENTION Volkswagon Beetle automobiles have two spaced ports in the rear of the body to accommodate twin tail pipes of the conventional exhaust system. When the system is modified to permit exhaust headers to be installed, the pipes are removed and the ports are exposed. The exposed ports are unsightly and, accordingly, I provide means for detachably sealing same.

To this end, I employ two plates; each shaped to be somewhat larger than the corresponding port to be sealed. Each plate carries a hook on its inner surface which detachably engages the top edge of the port. Each plate carries a bracket on its inner surface which extends at right angles and underneath the bottom of the rear of the body. Bolt securing means extend detachably through aligned holes in bracket and body. The means and hooks hold the plates firmly in sealing position to close off the ports and thus improve the appearance of the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevation of a volkswagon beetle automobile showing my invention in use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of a cover in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan of the cover of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the cover of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a detail cross section of the structure of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now 'to FIGS 1-5, a volkswagen beetle automobile has a body with two spaced ports 12 at the rear which are exposed when an exhaust header 14 is installed.

To detachably seal each port I provide two plates 16 painted to match the body. Each plate has the same shape as the corresponding port but is somewhat larger. A small L shaped member 18 is welded or otherwise secured to the inside surface of the plate and points upward adjacent but below the top edge to define a hook. A flat elongated bracket 20 is welded or otherwise secured (or is integral with) the bottom horizontal edge of the plate and extends at right angles thereto. The bracket has end holes 22.

In use, the plate overlies the port with member 18 engaging the top edge of the port and bracket 20 extending underneath the bottom horizontal edge 24 of the body. The edge 24 has holes or slots aligned with holes 22 whereby bolts 26 can extend through the aligned holes and be held in position by nuts 28. The ports are thus sealed.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

1. In combination with an automobile having a body carrying two spaced exposed substantially triangular exhaust ports at the lower rear portion thereof which are exposed when an exhaust header is installed;

two cover plates each having the same general shape as the corresponding port but being somewhat larger; securing means disposed on the inner surface of the corresponding plate and adapted to engage the body to cause the corresponding plate to overlie andclose the corresponding port;

each securing means including an upwardly extending hook for engaging an upper edge of the corresponding port;

each plate having a bottom horizontal edge; and

each securing means further including a bracket extending at right angles inwardly horizontally from the corresponding bottom horizontal edge to underlie said lower rear portion. 

1. In combination with an automobile having a body carrying two spaced exposed substantially triangular exhaust ports at the lower rear portion thereof which are exposed when an exhaust header is installed; TWO COVER PLATES EACH HAVING THE SAME GENERAL SHAPE AS THE CORRESPONDING PORT BUT BEING SOMEWHAT LARGER; SECURING MEANS DISPOSED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF THE CORRESPONDING PLATE AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE BODY TO CAUSE THE CORRESPONDING PLATE TO OVERLIE AND CLOSE THE CORRESPONDING PORT; EACH SECURING MEANS INCLUDING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING HOOK FOR ENGAGING AN UPPER EDGE OF THE CORRESPONDING PORT; EACH PLATE HAVING A BOTTOM HORIZONTAL EDGE; AND EACH SECURING MEANS FURTHER INCLUDING A BRACKET EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES INWARDLY HORIZONTALLY FROM THE CORRESPONDING BOTTOM HORIZONTAL EDGE TO UNDERLIE SAID LOWER REAR PORTION. 